A Japanese stone garden
brass wind chimes,
little birds feeding,
fountain tinkling - the whole works.
I sit, empty my mind,
intone a low pitched Buddhist hymn
which scares the birds away.
The wind picks up,
chimes no longer tinkle -but loudly clang.
The fountain sprays itself
into my frowning face.
Frustrated,
now I can hardly hear myself
not-thinking.
I dreamt I owned a 1939 Buick.
Later, I realized I did not,
but wondered:
could tommy-gun wielding
gangsters still be historically relevant
without running-boards?
A very cool car,
just ask Humphrey Bogart;
he had a 38 special
and knew how to use it.
I want to tell bogie, I understand
the need for running-boards,
the Fedora, the trench coat - the pose;
one leg on the board,
the lip-hanging cigarette,
the world weary eyes,
the choice of car - the whole works.
I dreamt I drove a ‘Prius',
a nightmare on a skateboard,
still a car is just a car, right?
A circle of small white stones
brass wind chimes,
one lone, pink-blossomed cherry tree,
birds twittering
small fountain tinkling - the whole works.
I sit, empty my mind,
too much tinkling and twittering
grow restless, recite
a low pitched Buddhist hymn
which scares the birds away.
The wind picks up
chimes tinkle -
tinkling becomes annoying,
a clanking;
Now I can hardly hear myself
not-thinking.
ERE HERE WHERE?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heart heaps here
Choice creams clear
Calm cheer cites
Warm wit writes
Dance deep dream
Sense sweet streams
Hurts hurl here
Charm crafts cheer
Dance deep daze
Meet mind maze
Dust dream dance
Claim crisp chance
Ply proud poise
Cheer calm choice
Live love light
Set sure sight
Etch each ere
Whole works where?
Leon Enriquez
15 December 2018
Singapore
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